Gamagara Local Municipality

Gamagara Municipality (Afrikaans: Gamagara Munisipaliteit; Tswana: Mmasepala wa Gamagara) is a local municipality within the John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality, in the Northern Cape province of South Africa.

Gamagara
Local municipality
Official seal of Gamagara
Seal
Location in the Northern Cape
Location in the Northern Cape
Coordinates: 27°40′S 23°00′E
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceNorthern Cape
DistrictJohn Taolo Gaetsewe
SeatKathu
Wards8
Government
[1]
 • TypeMunicipal council
 • MayorHenriette du Plessis[2] (DA)
Area
 • Total2,619 km2 (1,011 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[3]
 • Total41,617
 • Density16/km2 (41/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
[3]
 • Black African55.0%
 • Coloured28.7%
 • Indian/Asian0.6%
 • White14.0%
First languages (2011)
[4]
 • Afrikaans53.9%
 • Tswana33.7%
 • English3.6%
 • Sotho1.4%
 • Other7.4%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Municipal codeNC453

The name Gamogara is of Setswana origin. The municipality is named after a dry river which was in turn named after a man called Mogara of the Makwere clan (Batlhaping). During the early days of exploration, Mogara was the first person to settle in this part of the country. After 1887, the area became dominated by White farmers who then changed the name as they were unable to pronounce it correctly. Hence it was called Gamagara instead of Gamogara. The name is derived from a dry river that ran from Dibeng to join the Kuruman (Segonyana) river at Dikgatlong tsa ga Kganyile. Incidentally, this is the route the Ba ga Motlhware followed on their way to their headquarters, Maje a Mokhothu (Langeberg).[5]

Main places

The 2001 census divided the municipality into the following main places:[6]

PlaceCodeArea (km2)Population
Dibeng324018.584,023
Dingleton324021.562,866
Ditloung319030.623,044
Kathu324048.538,247
Olifantshoek319073.513,985
Remainder of the municipality324032,449.381,048

Politics
Main article: Gamagara Local Municipality elections

The municipal council consists of fifteen members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Eight councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in eight wards, while the remaining seven are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the election of 1 November 2021 no party obtained a majority of seats on the council. The following table shows the results of the election.[7][8]

Gamagara local election, 1 November 2021
PartyVotesSeats
WardListTotal %WardListTotal
African National Congress 4,9734,9619,93443.1%617
Democratic Alliance 3,9314,0057,93634.4%235
Gamagara Community Forum 1,5561,5033,05913.3%022
Economic Freedom Fighters 8617981,6597.2%011
Freedom Front Plus 2202184381.9%000
South African Royal Kingdoms Organization 636420.2%000
Total 11,54711,52123,0688715
Valid votes 11,54711,52123,06898.7%
Spoilt votes 1461512971.3%
Total votes cast 11,69311,67223,365
Voter turnout 11,707
Registered voters 23,135
Turnout percentage 50.6%

References
  1. "Contact list: Executive Mayors". Government Communication & Information System. Archived from the original on 14 July 2010. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  2. Hoo, Sandi Kwon (2023-05-29). "New DA mayor for Gamagara Municipality". DFA. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
  3. "Statistics by place". Statistics South Africa. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  4. "Statistics by place". Statistics South Africa. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  5. South African Languages - Place names
  6. Lookup Tables - Statistics South Africa
  7. "Results Summary - All Ballots" (PDF). Electoral Commission of South Africa. 8 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  8. "Seat Calculation Detail" (PDF). Electoral Commission of South Africa. 8 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
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